Our Beautiful Planet and Inter-dental Cleaning Aids

Environmental damage is a public health issue and cleaning with inter-dental cleaning aids has an environmental footprint. The impact varies vastly depending on the product used. The first study to its type was carried out in 2020 at the Eastman Dental Institute, London, UK. It reported that the worse products by far were single use floss picks and single use interdental brush picks.

The worst performing floss picks had a length of nylon floss fixed to a plastic handle. The worse performing interdental brush picks had a rubber brush head on a plastic handle (designed for single use). The single use products compared much worse than those designed for multiple use.

Previous studies have suggested that the environmental impact of prevention aids such as inter-dental cleaning products is still vastly smaller than the impact of periodontal disease itself.

In conclusion the authors of the 2020 study recommended that clinicians should consider environmental impact alongside clinical need and cost when recommending inter-dental cleaning aids to patients.

It’s been claimed in the US that discarded single-use floss-picks could fill a football stadium every week. The claims are likely exaggerated, but the amount of plastic waste from dental floss picks is a significant issue.

References:

Abed, R., Ashley, P., Duane, B., Crotty, J., & Lyne, A. (2023). An environmental impact study of inter-dental cleaning aids. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 50(1), 2–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpe.13727

https://www.freeradikal.com/blog/floss-picks-bad-environment/